Fungitoxicity of 1,4-naphthoquinones to Candida albicans and Trichophyton mentagrophytes.

Twenty-one substituted 1,4-naphthoquinones and five 8-quinolinols and copper(II) chelates were tested for antifungal activity against Candida albicans and Trichophyton mentagrophytes. Compounds containing electron-releasing or weak electron-withdrawing groups in the 2 and 3 positions of the 1,4-naphthoquinone ring were the most active against C. albicans at pH 7.0 in the presence of beef serum in the following order: 2-CH3O = 2,3-(CH3O)2 greater than 2-CH3 greater than 2-CH3S greater than 2-NH2 greater than 2,6-(CH3)2. For T. mentagrophytes under the same conditions the inhibitory 1,4-naphthoquinones contained the substituents 2-CH3O greater than 2,3-(CH3O)2 greater than 2-CH2S greater than 2-CH3 greater than 2-CH3(NaHSO3) greater than 2-NH2 greater than 2-C2H5S, 3-CH3 greater than 2,6-(CH3)2 greater than 2,3-CL2 greater than 5,8-(OH)2.